And it is. When I was up visiting last week, I kept saying over and over again, "Wow, it's gorgeous."
I pissed off an American friend of mine that I was in Ireland with years and years ago. We were standing on one of the rolling, green hills and I said, "Yeah, but Vermont's just as pretty." She got so mad.
One o
f our favorite outings as kids was to visit Texas Falls, a recreational area near Middlebury. (photos on left). We'd drive down, picnic, and jump across the rocks in the stream. I so wanted to re-visit it last week with my husband and kids. We packed up the car with kids and food and off we went. Then panic set in: What if it's not as much fun as I remember it? What if it totally sucks?Ah, but it's Vermont see, so it didn't. The stream (well, river more like it) was in full force as we all tried to jump from rock to rock. Well, almost all of us, my 7-year old son gave up on the rocks and just waded in the freezing, cold water. We explored all over and found an area where other people had left piles of rocks or cairns. The piles looked so peaceful there, we didn't disturb them but added our own. And, no, I forgot my camera so I don't ha
ve a picture of our handiwork. (The photo on the left is an example of rocks to cross).On the way home from Texas Falls, we always used to stop at the A&W Root Beer Stand which we did last week as well. I swear that stand is like Brigadoon; we looked for it on the way to Texas Falls and couldn't see it but on the way back, there it was. I guess it only appears AFTER you've been to the falls.
I probably don't have to say this but the ride to and from Texas Falls is just lovely. The traffic is light (it is Vermont after all) and the hills, the farms, the green, it's just great.
So yeah, I love to say I'm from Vermont. And there is another reason I love being from Vermont: my Republicans? Really Democrats. Seriously, Vermont Rocks!
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Howdy Neighbor! Vermont does rock. My husband and I love to drive over when we're on a leisurely beautiful outing. One hour north up 302, cut over to 93 North and East to 91 and you're in VT. We originally wanted to live in Burlington when we moved back here but we already had a summer home in the White Mtns so it was more expedient to move here. Burlington rocks too. Only thing w/ VT is taxes. As a native Californian, I've had my fair share of taxes. Virginia was a surprise because, in the eighties, their taxes were almost reasonable. But New Hampshire has no sales tax and no income tax! Property tax is high (they have to get it somehwere) but I can live with that. I love VT because they are so ecologically aware, they've outlawed outdoor signage, they love cows! Mooooo!
ReplyDeleteI remember when billboards went away in VT, it was just after our family moved there (and before Kate was born) so I'm dating myself. I would like to recommend a couple of VT things, mainly movies. I fell in love with the Howard Frank Mosher books and a few of them were made into movies. They are worth searching out. I recall that Rip Torn stars in one of them. Can I suggest that you continue on the VT Theme and perhaps get the names onto your blogs?
ReplyDeleteI have never been to Vermont, but I will take your word for its beauty! :) I will also have to check it out online and see some pictures. :)
ReplyDeleteDon't forget that VT is also the home of Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory. I toured it before it became the corporate conglomerate it is now. They had such quaint (great) ideas of how to run a business including the fact that the highest paid employee could never make more than 7x the lowest paid employee. That sounds like a huge order of magnitude, but think about the typically lowest paid employee in the mail room, janitor staff, etc. What do they make? Maybe $20,000 or a little more/less. Multiply by 7 and you get only $140,000 for the CEO. Now that is a fair salary dispersion. That Vermont sensibility is pretty damn cool.
ReplyDeletevery cool pics. love the falls and A&W does rock! though i have never been to VT...i'll have to fix that.
ReplyDeleteIt does look beautiful. Some of it reminds me of Oregon.
ReplyDelete"Yeah, but Vermont's just as pretty."
ReplyDeleteI remember a conversation I had when I was in the Army years ago... the guy I was talking to said, "I've been all over the world, and I've never seen anything that wasn't already in the US somewhere."
Not entirely accurate, but a good point nonetheless.